Very few would actually remember Talaash: The Hunt Begins, an action thriller directed by Suneel Darshan, which was about Arjun (played by Akshay) ‘hunting’ for his father’s murderers and overcoming all obstacles he met with on his way. To be honest, this was all one could figure out from this film, which was a total dud at the box office. The fact that it did not even recover its invested amount is a testimony of its failure.

I don’t blame Kareena Kapoor for her lack-lustre performance. She was just eight films old then, and barring Asoka and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, hadn’t shown a better choice of films. All that she did throughout the film was pout and do plenty of skin show. Poor girl didn’t know then that being an arm candy isn’t just enough! Talking about the lead actor, Akshay Kumar, a film like Talaash wasn’t expected from him, especially when his career graph was on the ascending side. He was prone to poor direction, which actually limited his scope of performance.

Exotic locations were aplenty but could do nothing to save the film. Music, too, failed to strike a chord in the audience’s hearts.

Cut to 2012! Fresh in the minds of people is Talaash: The Answer Lies Within- a suspense thriller film directed by Reema Kagti and jointly produced by Excel Entertainment and Aamir Khan. The latter plays a cop solving a mysterious tale of ‘accidental’ deaths in the city, which is followed by unfolding of many hidden secrets. The film has had a decent opening and is picking up pace at theatres.

However, Talaash has received mixed reviews, with the twist at the end disappointing many who expect a lot out of an Aamir Khan film. Other than that, performances have been greatly appreciated. Be it Rani’s portrayal of a helpless mother and wife, or Aamir’s deep and experimental performance. But the one person who shines bright throughout the film is Kareena Kapoor. As the mesmerizing prostitute helping the cop, she charms not just him, but the entire audience, which actually makes me wonder, “Is she the same Kareena who we saw in Talaash 2003?” Though she had a glamorous role in both Talaash 2003 and Talaash 2012, she shows a lot of improvement in the latter. The attitude in her acting (yes, she does act in this Talaash!), the confidence in her appearance and the grip in her overall performance is simply admirable!

Locations are not exotic, but just perfect for the story. Music by Ram Sampath is also fresh and striking.

One can notice the tremendous amount of difference that Talaash 2003 and Talaash 2012 have. While the former was a bore from the word ‘go’, the other keeps you glued to your seats till the end. ‘Talaash’ has really changed over the past decade, and we like that!